“Security and development are interconnected and foundational elements for peace and prosperity across the world, but they cannot be achieved unless people, even those whose positions are far apart, are willing to confront one another through dialogue.” These are the words of the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Lorenzo Fontana, delivering the opening address before the G7 Speakers’ meeting at Palazzo del Podestà in Verona. The inaugural gathering of the meeting took place on Thursday 5 September at the Museum of Castelvecchio in the presence of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella. The following morning, President Fontana, in his capacity as summit Chair, welcomed to Palazzo del Podestà the presidents and speakers of the parliaments of the G7 countries, including the President of the European Parliament, the specially invited President of the Parliament of Ukraine, and the Speaker of the Parliament of Tanzania, which currently holds the presidency of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
“Forces hostile to democracies and the rule of law,” continued President Fontana, “must not be allowed to upset an international order based upon the principles of peace and justice among peoples.” In his speech, Fontana also underscored how Italy is increasingly keen to promote the role of the G7 as the “control room of the Free World” that rose from the rubble of the Second World War and whose task is “to protect the international order.” He observed that the G7 is currently demonstrating its capacity to respond rapidly in the formulation and adoption of “common positions regarding the multiple and interconnected challenges of today’s world.”